Determination of gallium concentration in "blood-free" tissues using a radiolabeled blood marker.

Radioiodinated serum albumin has been used as a blood marker to define and quantitate physiological volumes for 12 organs and tissue types. The concentration of gallium-67 in "blood-free" tissues of rats was also determined at various times after intravenous administration. Tissues were divided into two kinetically distinguishable types based on reported nonuniform distribution of the blood marker and the gallium distribution observed in the present study. Gallium distribution into the liver and spleen was observed to be slow, with a discernable accumulation phase followed by monoexponential elimination. In contrast, gallium accumulation into the stomach, small and large intestines, heart, lung, skin/adipose tissue, and muscle was rapid and elimination was monophasic.